This week I�m thrilled to introduce Ontario�s new ?cheese on the block?, debuting in Ottawa at Jacobson�s Gourmet Concepts � Five Brothers from Gunn�s Hill Artisan Cheese in Woodstock, Ontario.A� Passion is a common theme among cheesemakers and Shep Ysselstein, who I first met at The Great Canadian Cheese Festival, is no exception.A�A� He just named their three Swiss style cheeses, a process that took a year that I equate to picking names for children. I love his philosophy that the names ?need to feel right?. You know it�s going to be good cheese when so much patience, thought and effort goes into choosing the name alone!

Five Brothers, named for Shep�s siblings, is a pressed, cooked, washed-rind, farmstead cow�s milk cheese.A� An amber-coloured, weathered-looking exterior covers these robust wheels featuring a pale straw open interior paste with unique subtle texture and smooth richness. Flavors hint of Gouda (buttery) & Appenzeller (fruity) sweetness ending up almost Cheddar-like (lactic) without the sharpness or characteristic tang.A� A very tasty addition to round out your end of summer entertaining cheese board!

FACTBOX:

Cheese: Five Brothers (Gunn�s Hill Semi-Hard)

Producer: Gunn�s Hill Artisan Cheese

Interesting Fact: Oxford County boasts some of the most abundant and fertile soils in Canada earning it the title ?Dairy Capital of Canada?.

Vanessa Simmons is Savvy Company�sA�Cheese SommelierA�- A�and she knows her cheese! She has trained with the Cheese Education Guild in Toronto � Canada�s only comprehensive cheese appreciation program & spends countless hours with local cheesemongers and cheesemakers. Her passion for cheeses oozes while her knowledge will melt away all notions that Canada only makes cheddar. A�Read more ofA�Vanessa`s Curd on the Street blogA�or join her for anA�artisan cheese tasting event.